Figure 9.2 Young girl outside the health post unsure of what she will say when she meets the Health Extension Practitioner.
If you can understand the feelings of your young client and appreciate their needs, you will be in a good position to answer questions and help with anxieties that they may have concerning their sexual and reproductive health.
How might a young person feel when they first come to see you?
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Figure 9.2 shows a young girl outside a health post, hesitating to enter. She might be feeling:
- Shy about needing to discuss personal matters.
- Embarrassed that she is seeking sexual or reproductive healthcare.
- Worried that someone she knows might see her and tell her parents.
- Unsure that she has the right words to describe what is concerning her and ill-informed about reproductive health matters in general.
- Anxious that she has a serious condition that will have significant consequences (e.g. that she has a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or that she is pregnant).
- Resistant to receiving help because of overall rebelliousness, discomfort or fear.
These points apply equally to a boy or young man who comes to see you.